The town of Piggswhittle Bottom is facing a crisis. They are the kingdom’s leading supplier of spell components and potion ingredients, but a horrible drought and heat wave has damaged all but the hardiest of the man-eating fescues, and the crop of treants isn’t looking much better. The town’s fire salamander stud died, and the local creeks where untold numbers of frogs, fish, and lizardmen live has run dry. Even the Rocs on the ledges outside of town haven’t been bearing more than one egg, the Phoenix spontaneously combusted, and the heat has all but shut down the town’s gemstone mine.

The only hope of saving the spell component season is the underground. Piggswhittle Bottom grew up atop the ruins of a previous city that the history records have long since lost. A gate was put up after too many kids wandered in and got eaten. The emperor has decreed that the gate will be opened so that the depths can be harvested.

The mayor of Piggswhittle Bottom has ordered a scavenger hunt in an attempt to attract both vendors and adventurers. Different subterranean creatures parts are worth points – you’ll be paid both in gold (by the city) and points for all you scavenge – the team with the most points gets title and deed to the old Kumsbrook Castle and its grounds; with the proceeds of what the winning team sells, they could easily make this into a base for future adventures.

The scavenger hunt only lasts the day – the town doesn’t want to entirely deplete its underground minions; body parts are a growth industry after all and you never know when another emergency might happen. You have to be out by sundown, or be trapped in there, if not forever, then for a very long time!

People have come from all over the nearby territory for this scavenger hunt, including some cutthroat looking types. There are also vendors all over the place willing to buy up your components, if you’re willing to take the chance at the loss of points. Your group is a band of up and coming adventurers fresh out of coin, and looking for their next chance to showcase their abilities.

Barter, cheat, steal, and slaughter your way to the prize!

Crossfire: "Thank you! That explains it very nicely, and in a language that someone other than a physicist can understand..."

Denial is not falsification. You can't avoid a fact just because you don't like it."Data" is not the plural of "anecdote"

Well, I feel like a schmuck for misreading that thread, and I know the easiest way to lose friends is to promise them something and then not deliver. :/ But I wanted to get into a game to fill up empty time, not complicate time while everything else is going on...

If it's no trouble for you, I'd like to bow out of the D&D game, then. If you find yourself absolutely needing another victim (or playing on Friday) let me know, but otherwise I won't be joining in. That okay?